


all i want for christmas

by annadavidson



Series: we can change the whole world (next justice series) [4]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, DC Comics AU, M/M, Next Generation, Next-Gen, Next-Gen AU, Next-Gen DC Comics, next generation au, next generation dc comics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-04 22:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10291727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annadavidson/pseuds/annadavidson
Summary: You would think he would have seen it all, growing up in Gotham.Prompt: Writing a letter to Santa.





	

You would think he would have seen it all, growing up in Gotham. Once he had inherited the mantle of Robin from an unhappy Damian – his older half-brother hadn’t had a problem with becoming the next Nightwing while Dick became Batman again, but he’d apparently had an issue with Josh, specifically, becoming Robin – he had gone face to face with quite a few _interesting_ encounters and people. One of which was Harvey Quinzel, who liked to call himself Jester. Surprisingly Harvey wasn’t the oddest person Gotham had spit up, but he was certainly on the list.

He was a curious person, and Josh admittedly found that intriguing. The moment that they had met, Harvey had known he was a different Robin than his predecessor. Josh still remembered Harvey’s first words directed to him – _“You’re cuter than the last bird.”_ Since then, Harvey had made a point to flirt every time they ran into each other. Josh, of course, had to dodge the flirtations. He didn’t think he would ever admit whether or not he enjoyed Harvey’s pining, but he certainly couldn’t even appear to enjoy the attention in front of Batman or anyone else in his family. He knew what they thought of Harvey, what they thought whenever they saw him.

They saw the Joker’s son. With their mouths, they claimed to know that Harvey wasn’t his father, but with their actions, they distrusted him as if he was. Josh didn’t expect them to trust him, but he also didn’t think they needed to hold Harvey at an arm’s length. The police already wanted to shoot the blonde on sight. Perhaps he shouldn’t have been so relaxed around the young villain, but the way Harvey behaved around him, their interactions together, it all made him believe that Harvey wouldn’t hurt him – at least not on purpose.

That same person, that very same villain that the public feared so much, was hunkered down in an _Office Max,_ paper sprawled out around him and a box of pens ripped open and scattered on the floor. Harvey lay on his stomach, his feet up in the air. He was scrawling words onto paper in terrible hand writing. Josh couldn’t tell if his writing was messy on purpose or if he’d just never been able to perfect that craft. He was clad in the bright greens and purples of his Jester costume – why he wore his father’s colors baffled Josh since he knew from reading Harvey’s psych evaluation from Arkham’s Juvenile Center that he had a panic attack at the mere mention of the Joker.

Josh, himself, was dressed up as Robin, cape and all. He stood over Harvey, looking down and trying to see what he was writing. Though the blonde looked oblivious, he had a feeling he knew he was there.

“Are you here to arrest me?” Harvey asked without looking up, confirming what Josh had assumed.

Josh slowly lowered himself to the ground and came to sit beside him. “I’d rather not, but you did break into this place.”

“I needed paper,” Harvey pointed out, this time looking up and meeting Josh’s masked eyes with his own domino mask. He paused, looking down at the scattered pens and the one in his hand. “Oh and pens too.”

Josh raised an eyebrow, though it was barely noticeable over his mask. “What for?”

Harvey gave him a look that made it clear he thought the answer should be obvious. “It’s _Christmas.”_

Josh slowly nodded. “I know?”

“I’m writing a _letter…”_

Josh thought he knew where this was going. _“To?”_

Harvey looked as if he was questioning Josh’s intelligence. _“Santa.”_

Josh paused at that. Anyone else probably would have thought it fit, believing in the make belief, with Harvey’s immaturity. But when he looked at Harvey, he didn’t see a child full of wanderlust. He saw a young man who had been through more than anyone ever should have. A young man who maybe had never had a good Christmas or any good holiday since his father had found out about his existence. When he looked at Harvey, he saw a young man that was constantly being beaten and battered by the world around him. He hadn’t thought someone who basically had the world crap on him almost on a day to day basis would believe in something as simple as Santa Claus.

“You believe in Santa Claus?” he found himself asking. He knew he should have been slapping cuffs onto Harvey’s wrists – he had broken into the _Office Max_ and stolen the paper and pens he was currently using. But even Dick, suited up as Batman, had occasionally just sat down with Harvey and talked to him. Harvey wasn’t always combative. Sometimes he just needed someone to listen.

And now seemed like one of those times. Harvey hesitated at his question, which was enough to catch his attention and tell him that this wasn’t a lighthearted encounter. Something was wrong. With one hand still clutching a pen, Harvey’s free hand reached over and tugged at the end of his sleeve – an unconscious habit.

“No,” he eventually answered after a couple minutes of silence.

Josh sat forward to be closer to him. “Then… Why?”

Harvey shrugged. “It’s Christmas. Isn’t this what people do – What _normal_ people do?” He looked away and started doodling stick figure elves on the paper.

Josh glanced around them. The police weren’t there – they had been notified that Robin would be handling it. It was just the two of them, and of course the security cameras. He wondered if Oracle had hacked in and was watching them to make sure nothing went wrong. Sighing, Josh shifted until he was lying on his stomach next to Harvey. He cocked his head to the side and watched Harvey until his blue eyes were met with Harvey’s blue green eyes.

“You do know normal’s not actually a thing, right?” Josh asked, his tone gentle. He knew from Harvey’s psych evaluation that this was a touchy subject, though all he had to do was have multiple interactions with Harvey to know that. A psych evaluation wasn’t necessarily needed to get to know Harvey. Kind words and thoughtful gestures could easily get the thief to open up.

Harvey gave him a small thing. “Then why does everyone else have it?”

Josh raised an eyebrow. “They don’t? Besides, even if they did, it’s overrated.” When Harvey looked away, he sighed. “Look, I can see the appeal of being ‘normal,’ but… I’m not normal. I’m actually quite weird.”

Harvey looked at him with both eyebrows raised. _“Really?_ Prove it!”

Josh hesitated, his cheeks darkening with a blush. “My… My best friend and I jam out to _N’Sync_ any chance we get. I still have a stuffed bear from when I was a kid that’s dressed up like the first Robin, and yes, you can still find him in my bed. I have a brother who just hates my guts and rarely says kind things to me, but I still love him and wish I had a better relationship with him. I uh – I adore cats. I’m a complete sucker for their adorable little paws…” He trailed off when Harvey started laughed. This time Josh frowned in confusion. “What?”

Harvey’s laughter turned into a fit of giggles before he managed to get them under control to talk. He grinned at Josh and for once that night, he looked genuinely happy. “This is the most you’ve ever told me about yourself. I didn’t know a Bat could be so open.”

Josh chuckled. “I’m not open with _everyone.”_

Harvey beamed at him. “I feel so _special!”_

Josh felt something skip in his chest and looked away quickly, his face hot. Harvey noticed and tilted his head to try to see Josh’s face.

“Am I special?”

Josh bit down on his lower lip. “You’re… _Different._ You’re not normal.” He could feel Harvey’s eyes on him.

“Is that a good thing?” There was vulnerability to Harvey’s tone.

Josh took in a deep breath to calm himself and slowly let it out before meeting Harvey’s gaze once more. “All of the best people aren’t normal.”

Harvey was grinning once more. “Well then _Merry Christmas,_ Boy Blunder.”

Josh lightly laughed and found himself returning Harvey’s grin. “Merry Christmas, Jester.”

**Author's Note:**

> Like/reblog on Tumblr [here](http://magicrobins.tumblr.com/post/158384029930/20-writing-a-letter-to-santa).


End file.
